In an exclusive statement reported by the Associated Press this Wednesday, Tamir Pardo, the former director of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, asserted that Israel is engaged in a form of “apartheid” in the occupied West Bank, marking a significant perspective on the ongoing conflict.
The former Mossad chief bluntly said, “What we have here is an apartheid state.” He pointed out that having two separate legal systems for two different groups of people in the same area amounts to an apartheid state.
Pardo led the Israeli spy agency from 2011 to 2016, during Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure as Prime Minister. He now joins a growing number of former Israeli government officials who are speaking out against the current administration’s actions and policies. Over the past year, he has become a vocal critic of the government, particularly focusing on its efforts to change the judicial system in the country.Tamir Pardo’s remarks about Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank come during a period of intense tension in the area. Recent United Nations (UN) data reveals that this year’s conflicts have resulted in approximately 200 Palestinian and nearly 30 Israeli casualties by August, making it the most violent year since 2005.
Apart from the long-standing Arab-Jewish conflict, Israel is currently going through a significant internal political turmoil. Thousands of people have been protesting in the streets against proposed Judiciary reforms that could potentially favor Netanyahu’s government.